Dollar Tree being only a single dollar on everything.
I didn’t know Dollar Tree existed further back in the years like the 80s. But, I didn’t discover the store until like late 2000s. That store was a godsend for my then mostly broke ass. Sure the quality of products could’ve been better and the food selection could’ve been better, but they were there for me and others who’re strapped on budgets.
And it was a good 16 years while that lasted. It is a little annoying at times to shop there and know it is no different than Dollar General and Family Dollar. But it could’ve been worse.
Used to? Like they don’t anymore? That’s disappointing. My local library still carries DVDS.
No idea if they still have them, I don’t live in NYC anymore. NYC, even Brooklyn is expensive as hell, rent was going up. My parents barely managed to borrow money from close friends + some savings to be able to afford a house in Philly, where I’m now. The last time I’ve been to the library was… idk 4-6 years ago… I literally only go to libraries to use their computer or like I wanna skip school and chill a bit there so I don’t get home too early.
When I was younger, I remember borrowing comics and stuff… I never actually wanted to read “books”.
I was facing a lot of issues…
On one hand, I barely know enough Chinese to read a Chinese book (except like a childrens book, which is just cringe for me, yes I know very hypocritical since I was a kid myself)
On the other hand, my English wasn’t remotely good enough to read an English book.
So like comics were the only thing I could read.
As for the DVDs, I didn’t pick them, my parents did. And it was interesting enough for me, so I just watched it anyways since there wasn’t much to do. Early days I wasn’t allowed much computer time / internet time, when I did have more access, I wasn’t knowledged enough to find free stuff to watch. So its just TV shows in Mandarin from those DVDs. It probably helped with expanding my Mandarin skills for a bit longer, because like it soon atrophys when you don’t use it. I haven’t really spoken Mandarin for like… 15 years. Except rare circumstances when there was a Mandarin-speaking classmate. I kinda remember the pronunciations, but I’m gonna have to think in Cantonese, then convert it to Mandarin… so there’s a bit of a lag, sort of.